Electric iron



Feb. 9, 1954 Filed June 27, 1952 J. E. VANCE ELECTRIC IRON 5 Sheets-Sheet l' INVENTOR. John E.Vance Wa/ JW ATTORNEY J. E. VANCE ELECTRIC IRON Feb. 9, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1952 0 ma n z 3 m w n m an .f

J. E. VANCE ELECTRIC IRON Feb. 9,1954

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1952 ATTORNEY J. E. VANCE ELECTRIC IRON Feb. 9, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27, 1952 INVENTOR. John E. Vance ATTORNEY.

J. E. VANCE ELECTRIC IRON Feb. 9, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 27, 1952 {2:7 8 INVENTOR. John E. Vance M J ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 ELECTRIC IRON John E. Vance, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 27, 1952, Serial No. 295,950

25 Claims.

heating recesses formed in its upper surface and steam emitting passages extending therethrough to the ironing surface thereof. A cover plate is attached to the top of the sole plate and overlies the boiler and superheating passages. The cover plate is formed with an inlet opening .overlying the boiler recess and with steam passages in its undersurface to connect the superheating recess of the sole plate to the steam emitting openings extending therethrough. The sole plate assembly includes a thermostatic switch mounted on the sole plate and having an adjusting shaft extending upwardly, together with terminal conductors connecting the switch, in series circuit with the heating element and with the terminals extending rearwardly from the sole plate for ready connection to a conductor cord which forms a part of the handle cover shell assembly. According to one modification of the invention a pair of cover shell supports extend upwardly from the rear of the sole plate. In a second modification of the invention the cover shell support also forms the rear support for the reservoir. In both modifications an anchoring stud extends upwardly therefrom between the cover shell support and the inlet opening through the cover plate.

Another of the sub-assemblies is the reservoirvalve assembly. This comprises the reservoir proper made from duplicate dished stampings with their dished sides facing each other and being secured together at their mating edges. According to one modification, three vertical tubes extend through the reservoir and are sealed to the top and bottom walls thereof. In the first modification the rear tube is positioned to receive the control shaft extending upwardly from the sole plate, the central tube is positioned above the anchoring stud of the sole plate to receive an anchoring bolt and the front tube is positioned above the inlet opening in the cover plateand receives a fill tube which also erves as a valve seat and a valve seat housing. According to the second modification only the two rear vertical tubes are provided. At the front end according to the second modification a fill tube is secured to the upper wall of the reservoir and a separate and distinct valve body is secured to the lower wall of the reservoir and has its lower end formed to mate with the inlet opening in the cover plate. In the first modification the lower end of the fill tube which forms the valve seat has its lower end formed to mate with the inlet opening in the cover plate. In each modification the fill tube extends upwardly above the reservoir and has an extension with a forwardly facing fill opening formed in its front wall which communicates through the fill tube with the interior of the reservoir. In each modification the fill tube also forms a housing for a valve stem having a valve formed on its lower end which cooperates with a valve seat interiorly of the lower end of the fill tube in the first modification and with a valve seat in the valve body of the second modification. In each modification the valve stem extends upwardly through the top wall of the fill tube and the valve is moved to open and closed position by a valve actuator mounted on top of the filltube. In the second modification a vent opening is formed in the upper wall of the reservoir forwardly of the fill tube. ,7

The third of the sub-assemblies is the handlecover shell assembly. It comprises a handle having front and rear legs. The front leg receives the upper end of the fill tube and valve actuator, openings being formed in its forward and top walls to receive the extension of the fill tube and the valve actuator. The rear leg has a conducting cord extending through one of its side walls to its interior for connection to the terminals extending rearwardly from the sole plate. The cover shell is shaped to house the reservoir and is attached to the handle independently of any of the other parts. The top of the cover shell is provided with four-openings from front to rear for receiving the fill tube, the anchor bolt, the control shaft and the conductor cord. The cover shell is of substantially the same contour as the top of the sole plate and has its rear end overhanging the sole plate. A lug extends rearwardly from th handle to cooneratewith the overhanging end of the sole plate to support the iron on its rear end. The three sub-assemblies above described are assembled to form a completed iron.

Accordingly to the first modification the reservoir-valve assembly is placed inside the cover shell. A threaded extension of the control receiving tube extends through an opening in the cover shell and a nut is threaded thereon, a spring finger dial support being placed beneath the nut. During the above assembly the fill tube will extend upwardly into the front leg of the handle with the extension of the fill tube extending through the front opening in the front handle leg and the valve actuator extending through the opening in the top of the handle front leg.

According to the first modification the assembly formed as described above is placed on top of the sole plate with the rear of the cover shell resting on top of the supports extending upwardly from the sole plate and with the lower end of the fill tube mating with the inlet opening in the cover plate. An anchor bolt is then threaded into the anchor stud on the sole plate after having been passed downwardly through the central reservoir tube and the complemental opening in the cover shell. In this position the control shaft will extend upwardly into the rear one of the tubes which extend upwardly through the reservoir.

According to the second modification vthereservoir-valve assembly is placed on the .sole plate with the lower edge of the valve body mating with the inlet leading to the flash boiler and with the rear of the reservoir supported by the rear support. The handle-hover shell assembly is then placed over the reservoir valve assembly with the fill tube extending upwardly into the hollow .front leg of the handle, the extension thereof extending through the front opening in the handle front leg and the valve actuator extending upwardly through the top opening in the handle front leg. An anchor bolt is then passed downwardly through the central reservoir tube and the complemental opening in the cover shell and threaded into the anchor stud extending upwardly from the sole plate. A spring is provided for reacting between the cover shell and the top of the reservoir valve assembly for insuring a tight seal between the lower end of the valve body and the complemental opening leading to the boiler. The spring also serves to compensate for variations in manufacturing tolerances.

According :to the present invention the reservoir is filled through the front fill opening while the iron is resting on its heel end. The arrangement is such that it is only necessary .to pour water into thereservoir until the front fill opening overflows. The arrangement is such that a pocket is formed in the forward or :upper end of the reservoir during the filling operation so that when the iron is returned to its horizontal position the excess water in the 'fill tube will flow downwardly into the reservoir.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conneetionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal cross sectional view of one modification of the iron of the present invention showing the arrangement of the parts in assembled relationship;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sole plate with a portionof the cover plate. therefor broken away to show the arrangement of the flash'boiler and steam superheating passages;

Figure 3 .is a bottom view of one side of the hover plate for the sole plateshowing how the steam passages are formed therein;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the component parts of the invention of the first modification showing the parts prior to their assembly;

Figure '7 is a vertical cross sectional view of a second modification of the invention showing the parts in their assembled relationship; and

Figure 8 shows the iron of Fig. '7 resting on its rear end during the filling operation.

The three main sub-assemblies of the first modification are shown in Fig. 6. The reference numeral I represents the sole plate sub-assembly, the reference numeral 2 the reservoir-valve subassembly and the reference numeral 3 the handle-cover; shell sub-assembly.

Sole plate sub-assembly Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings which show the first modification, the sole plate I0 is preferably made of cast aluminum and has a heating element ll of a well known, metal encased type, cast therein. The heating element H is of a generally U-shape with the bight or nexus thereof positioned adjacent the toe of the sole plate i0 having its legs extending backwardly adjacent the sides thereof. At their rear ends the legs of the heating element H are turned upwardly at right angles, as at 12 and 13, with the terminals l4 and I5 thereof extending upwardly perpendicularly to the sole plate I0.

At its forward end, adjacent the'bight or nexus of the heating element H and in good heat exchange relationship therewith, the sole plate H! is formed with a recess or depression 16 which forms the boiler of the iron. A bafile l'l extends upwardly, immediately to the rear of the recess l6, forming an opening 18 (Fig. 2) at each end thereof leading to a deeper superheating chamber l9. A baflle 20-extends inwardly from each side of and to the rear of the chamber IS. The opening 2|, between the bafiles 20, communicates with the bight or nexus of a wishbone shaped passage 22, of substantially the same depth as the chamber 19, the legs 23 of which extend backwardly on each side of .a stud receiving land 24, having an exteriorly threaded anchoring stud 24 threaded therein.

A cover plate, generally indicated by the reference numeral '25, overlies the chambers and passages just described. At its forward end, immediately above the flash boiler recess 16, the cover plate 25 is provided with an inlet opening 26 which is countersunk at 21' on the upper side .of plate 25 for a purpose which will presently appear.

At their rear ends the legs 23 of passage 22 abruptly end and communicate at the upper sunface of the sole plate with passages 23 formed in the undersurface of the cover plate '25. The passages ziljform two passages 29 and .313 the former extending forwardly toward the toe of the sole plate and the latter toward the rear thereof. The passages 29 and 3!) lie directly over the heating element l I so as to be in good heat exchange relationship therewith. The passages 28 and 39 communicate with steam emitting openings 31 extending throughthe sol plate is. The cover plate 25 is preferably secured to the sole plate It by screws, as shown, or it may be welded. brazed or staked thereto.

While in Figs. 2 and 3 only the one side of the iron has been shown with the various chambers, passages, etc., it is to be understood that the opposite side is a. duplicate except that it is reversed in shape. The cover plate has been shown in Fig. l with recesses complementary to the reservoir I6, I9 and 2|, in the sole plate, but it is to be understood that the complementary recesses in the cover plate may be omitted if desired.

The temperature of the sole plate I0 is controlled by a thermostatic switch generally indicated by the reference numeral 32. The switch 32 per se is of known construction and comprises a bimetallic element 33 mounted in heat exchange relationship with a land 34, extending upwardly from the sole plate It well to the rear of the steam passages 23. The bimetallic element 33 has an insulating button 35 on its outer end which cooperates with the upper of a pair of spring arms 36 and 31 to open and close contacts 38 and 39 carried by the spring arms as the temperature of the sole plate varies. Contact 38 is adjusted toward and away from the contact 39 by a shaft 40 screw threaded into a nut 4|, supported by a plate 42, which is anchored to the land 34 by the same stud 43 which anchors the remaining parts of the switch to the sole plate. As shown, suitable insulators are provided between the various parts to electrically insulate them each from the other.

The shaft 48 is adapted to be adjusted by a kerf 54 in its head which cooperates with the manual control mechanism as will later appear. The head of shaft 40 has a lug 55 which engages a lug 56 on nut 4| to limit rotation of the shaft to less than 360.

The leaf spring 31 is connected by terminal connections 44 to the terminal I5 of the heating element II. The leaf spring 35 is connected by terminal connection 45 to one conductor of the conductor cord, the other conductor of which is connected to the terminal I4 of the heating element II by a terminal conductor 48. The conductors 44 and 46 are preferably brazed to the terminals I4 and I5.

The terminal conductors 45 and 46 extend rearwardly from the sole plate and are clamped thereto by a pair of insulating blocks 4! and 48, resting on a plate 49. The blocks 41 and 48 are clamped to the plate 49 by an inverted channel shaped strap 58, anchored to the sole plate by screws passing through the ends of the strap 50 and the plate 49. The plate 49 is provided with a pair of upwardly extending cover shell supporting legs 5| and with a rearwardly extending lug 52 by which the closure plate 53 may be attached after the remainder of the iron is assembled.

The sole plate sub-assembly of Figs. 7 and 8 is very similar to that of the modification of Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, and where the parts are the same, the same reference numerals have been applied.

As shown in Fig. 7 a modified inlet opening is formed to the boiler I6 of the sole plate It). A comparatively large opening I49 is formed in the cover plate 25' above the boiler I6. This opening performs a trlple'functlon. The bracket I 41 is provided with a forwardly extending anchoring lug I48, clamped to the sole plate IIl beneath the lower insulating block 49, with a rearwardly extending lug I49, to which the closure plate 53 is secured, with a pair of upwardly and rearwardly extending cover shell supporting lugs I59, similar to the legs 5| of the first modification and with forwardly extending reservoir supporting lugs I5I.

Reservoir-valve sub-assembly The reservoir-valve sub-assembly of the first modification is shown in Figs. 1 to 6. The reservoir 60 comprises dished duplicate upper and lower stampings BI and 62, longitudinally secured together by a joint 63 whichmay be welded, brazed or of the lock seam type. Each stamping has outwardly extending rings 64, and 96 stamped therein. A control shaft receiving tube 61 is secured on the interior of rings 64, both above and below, as by welding or brazing. The tube 61 is provided with an inwardly rolled rib 68, forming an interior substantially spherical shaped annulus, for a purpose which will later appear. A bolt receiving tube 69 is secured interiorly of the rings '65, both above and below, as by brazing or welding. A filling spout receiving tube 10 has expanded ends II welded or brazed to the interior of rings 66, both above and below.

Extending through the tube I0 is a fill tube I2 having a forwardly extending flange I3, grooved to fit the ring 66 and the upper end II of tube I0, a shoulder I4 received within the expanded end 1| of tube In and a tubular portion I5 extending through the tube It and having a threaded lower end I6. The fill tube 72 is extended upwardly at I! and has a forward extension I8 formed with a forwardly facing fill opening communicating with the bore of tube 15 which in turn communicates with the interior of the reservoir 89, by way of slits I9 and 8|! in the rear walls of the tubes I5 and I8 respectively. The filling tube I2 is secured to. the reservoir 69 by a nut 8| threaded to the lower end It of the tube I5 which, in cooperation with the heat resisting gasket 82, resting in the expanded lower end II of tube It, draws the shoulder I4 tightly into the upper expanded end II of the tube It.

The nut 8| has a spherical lower end 83, which cooperates with the countersink 2! of cover plate 25 and an internal valve seat 84 which cooperates with a valve 85 on the lower end of a valve stem 86. Thus, the nut 8| forms a fastener for the filling tube 12, forms one part of a joint for cooperation with the inlet opening 26 to the flash boiler and forms a valve seat for the water flow control valve. The valve stem 86 extends upwardly through the filling tube I2 and through an aperture in the top of extension 11 thereof and is pivotally connected at its upper end at 871 to a manually actuated valve actuator 88. The actuator is pivoted at 89 between the ears 98 of a bracket 9| secured to the top of the extension I! as by screws as shown. The valve actuator 88 is slotted, as shown, to receive the pivot pin 89 to provide for easy assembly. A tension spring 92 is connected between the bracket 9| and the actuator 88, and passes substantially through the pivot pin 89 of the actuator 88, when the valve is in open position, as shown in Fig. l. Detents 93 (Fig. 6) are pressed inwardly in legs 98 of the bracket 9| and cooperate with a detent opening 94 (Fig. 1), in the actuator 88, to hold it in the position shown Fig. 1, against the bias'ofspring 92,-;with'the valve 85 in open position, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the actuatorBB is moved counterclockwise away from the detents 93 the spring 92 snaps the valve '85 downwardly into the seat 84 to close it and its pointed end will scrape off any lime deposits which maybe formed the valve opening.

The reservoir-valve assembly of the modification of Figs. 7 and 8 is similar to that of the first modification and where the parts are the same, the same reference numerals have been applied.

In the modification of Figs. 1 and 8 the upper and lower halves BI and 62 of the reservoir 56' are formed, from front to rear, with duplicate pairs of upper end lower openings I69, IBI and IE2. A tube I63 for receiving the stud bolt I04, extends through the-openings I6I, and is staked at I64 to the upper and lower walls of the reservoir. A tube I55 for receiving the control shaft 42 extends through the openings IE2 and is staked at I58 to the upper and lower walls of the reservoir.

An internally threaded member I61 extends through the lower opening I69 and is staked at I58 to the lower wall of the reservoir. An externally threaded valve body IE9 is threaded into the threaded opening of member I51 as shown.

The valve body I69 has a valve seat I753 which cooperates with the valve 85 on the lower end of valve stem 85, and with a spherical lower end I1 I, which mates with the spherical depression I43 of disc I41, an asbestos gasket I12 being placed between the mating surfaces. An outlet opening I83 is formed in the body I69 which leads to an enlarged bore in an extension I84 extending downwardly into the opening I46.

A fill tube I13 has its reduced lower end extending through the upper opening I68 and is staked at I14 to the upper wall of the reservoir. The upper wall 6| of the reservoir and the fill tube I73 have cooperating vent openings I15 and I15 formed therein for a purpose which will later appear. The fill tube I13 has a forward extension I11 formed with a forwardly facing fill opening which communicates with the interior of the reservoir through an opening I18 in the bottom of the fill tube I13. A core opening is formed in the rear wall of the fill tube I13, which is closed by a closure I19 staked thereto as shown. The

valve stem 86, valve actuator 88, etc., are mounted b on the top of fill tube I13 in substantially the same manner as in the first modification except that a felt washer ISO is provided to form a guide for the valve stem 86. A pair of baffles ISI and I82 are riveted to the top half BI of the reservoir, it being noted that the bafile I 82 abuts against the bottomwall of the lower half '62 to form a reenforcement between the top and bottom walls of the reservoir.

Handle-cover shell sub-assembly The handle-cover *shell sub-assembly of the first modification is shown in Figs. 1 to 6'. The cover shell I has a lower edge II'II conforming closely to the shape of the periphery of the sole plate I 0, and in assembled position, as in Fig. l,

and-forms a housing forthe electrical connection between the strands of the-cord I01 and the terminal conductors 45 and 46. It also forms in cooperation with the handle a rear support for the iron.

The handle III! has a hand grip portion III, a hollow front leg I I2, for receiving the filler spout 12 and the valve actuator 88 and a hollow rear leg H3 for housing the conductor cord I91 which is provided with a cord protector extending through the side wall of the rear leg H3. The front wall of the front leg H2 is provided with an opening II4 for receiving the extension 18 of filler spout 12. The top wall of the front leg I I2 is provided with an opening H5 through which the valve actuator 88 is accessible for manual manipulation.

The rear leg I I3 is secured to the cover shell I 00 by screws H6, while the front leg H2 is secured thereto by a stainless steel bracket H1 secured to the cover shell I09 by screws I I8. The bracket III extends upwardly into the hollow post II2 and has ,a forwardly extending forked end (not shown), suitably secured to the wall of the front leg I I2 at the top and to the sides of the opening I14. The handle III) has a rearward extension I II! which cooperates with the rearward extension I98 of the cover shell I to support the iron on its heel when not in use or while being filled.

In the modification of Figs. '1 and 8 the dial retaining spring I24 is riveted directly to the top of the cover shell IIlIi above the shaft all and a forked spring I is clamped between the cover shell IBI! and the bracket III by which the front leg of the handle is supported. The spring I85 has a pair of legs which straddle the body of fill tube I13 and when in assembled relation presses downwardly against shoulders on the side of the fill tube as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Manual control assembly In the modification of Figs. 1 to 6, a tubular bolt I29 has an-outwardly flared spherical lower end I2I which abuts against the lower surface of the inwardly extending rib 68 of tube ti and has a threaded upper end I22, on which a threaded nut I23 is threaded, to clamp a cupshaped dial support I24 to the cover shell I03. The dial support I24 has upwardly extending spring fingers I25 which engage in the annular groove I26 in the hub I2-l extending downwardly from the control dial I28 to mount it for rotation. The dial I28 is of large diameter and covers the top of the shell I00 between the handle legs H2 and H3. As shown in Fig. 6 the control dial I28 has indicia thereon to indicate the proper temperature setting.

An insert I29 in the lower side of dial I28, within the hub I21, has a kerf I30 in its extended lower end to receive the upper end of a twisted metal drive member Blythe lower end of which is received in the kerf 54 of shaft 49.

In the modification of Figs. '7 and 8 a groove I86 is cut in the hub of the dial I28 to receive the upper end of a member I81, the lower end of which is drivingly secured to the shaft Ill.

Assembly In the first modification, the cover plate 25, thermostat 32, stud 24, terminal connections 44, 45 and 46 and support 5| are assembled to the sole plate ID as shown in Fig. 6 to form the sole plate sub-assembly.

The two halves .SI :and 62 of the reservoir Iii) are secured together and the tubes 61, 69 and 70* brazed into the interior of the flange rings 64, 65 and 66, both, above and below. The fill tube 12 is assembled lay passing the-tubel5 downwardly; through the tube-T and screwing 81" and its lower endpassed through the opening in thetop of the extension 'I-T- to: bring the slot of the legs of the actuator 88' across the p-in 89 The spring 92- isunassembled: tohold the valve.

stenrand actuator-in place=to complete the reser voir-valve assembly-of the modification In the modification of" Figs. 7- and 8thebafiles.

are secured in-place beiore the-two halves GI" and 62" of-' the reservoir 60 are assembled: 'llhered-uced ends ofthe tubes I53 and -Ififi arejthen positioned-through the openings I61 and I 62 re.-. spectively and.- stakedin position as previously described. The two halves G I and GZ may then lie secured together at their edges by, aloek seam type joint a shown. g

The bracket I-I"'I is secured to the cover shell; IIJIIby screws I:I*8* and the-shell I09 attached to. the bottom of the handle I I-9 mscrews Ittaand by screws (not shoWn)"- passihg'through. the forwardl'y extending iorked end of bracket I I15 and. into-the handle on oppositesides of the. opening. I141 handle I l Il, either-before or after the cover shell N30 is attachedthereto. The handle-cover shell;

assemblyof the first modification is: thus formed.

In addition to the above in the. modification of Figs.- 7' and 8 the spring I83 is: assembled between the covershell- I00 and -the. bracket: I I?! and thedial support I=2 L riveted to: the covershell asshown in Fig. 7;

Inthemodification-of Figs. 1 to..6, inclusive the reservoir-valve assembly: is secured-to; the;

the opening H5 and-- the'extension: 18" passingthrough opening H4. The dial supportv Idea is. placed over the upper end of the tube I20 and the nut I23- applied to the-threaded upper end I 22' of i the tube I-2'0'- to-tightly clamp the reseruoir valve sub-assembly to *thehandle-cover shelli sub-assembly; The spherdcal mating; surfaces. I2 I and-68 on tubes I 20 and 51 will compensate for. any misalignment, it being noted: that: dimples are formed on the reservoir to. come.

into-contact with the'underside of .theoover shell;- Illfl andthus spacethemain body ofithereservozn slightly below thecover she'll.

The assembled reservoir"valve;v handle-cover:

shell sub-assemblies arethen placed on: the: sole: plate sub-assemblywiththe-spherical 'lowen end: '5 of nut 8| mating-with the countersunk-port 21? of cover plate 25 and the rearend -of cover shell I00; resting onthe tops; of thesupports 5% The .boltItiIi is then passeddownwardly through theopening I03. and. tube '69 and threaded into the: stud 24', to clamp. theisub-assemblies, to-- ee h 'Theiendszoi. the. strands of. theicord L01 may The cord I01 may be assembledato the;

v .10 then be atached to the. projecting ends of ter* minal: conductors; and. 45; in the usual, mannerand. the closure plate; attached:-

The'drive .memloer I31 may. then be placedin the tube Iz0...with its lower" end restin nz kerf 5d of shaft; II}: afiterrwhiohthe control dial,

I28 may be depressed downwardly so that the spring fingers I25 will enga e in the grooves I:,2B:.and the Keri. I 3pt,of .the insert I29 will straddle the upper end of the drive member I3I, care being takenithato the dial I28 is positioned with the proper indicia. at the proper setting. For the initial. setting. the drive member IBI may be twisted one Way. or the other to bring the indicia into the. proper position.

It is to benoted from Fig. 1 that no stress is placed uponthe. reservoir Why the bolt lot since-- the stress. is applied successivel through the cover shell I00, bracket III; extension TI, tube "Ill and nutfit to the. spherical opening 27 leading tothe boiler Iii.

In. themodification ofv Figs. and 8 the reservoir-valve, subs-assembly, is. not assembled to the cover-shell handle SUbrELSSBIIlblY prior to their assembly. with the sole. plate sub-assembly. The

gasket H2 is placed. in the spherical depression I1I=3-of disc IIII, and the reservoir-valve sub-assembly. placed. on top of, the sole plate sub-assembly Withthe spherical surface III of the valve bodyv I69 resti g,- upon the gasket, I72 and with,

therear of thereservoir 6.61 .I'Iesting upon the lugs I5I of the bracket. M7. assembly is then. placed. over the reservoir, care being taken that. the filler tube, extension I'II extends through the opening in the front handle leg-and that the, valve actuator extends through the opening in the top. of the front handle leg. The forwardend of the cover shell will then rest upon thespacer. pin I45 and. its rear end, will rest upon the upper ends, of, supports I59. The bolt Id l may then loe. inserted through the proper opening inthe cover shell, through the tube I63 and-threadedinto the. stud bolt on the sole plate assembly as in the, first modification. As the bolt Ills is. screwed down the spring I will press downwardly upon, the shoulders of the filler tube I13 and press the sphericalsuriace of? the valve body into. good. sealing engagement with the asbestos. washer I12. The'cord ,con-

nections, may be made as in. the first modification and the dial. I23 snapped downwardly upon the dial support I24 with the upper end of drive member I81. entering the slot. I85 in the dial I28" completingthe assembly.

isattached. to the soleplate It by screws. If

veryhard water is used, the interior of. the sole platerecesses and, passages may be encrusted or" clogged with lime deposits to such anextent as to needcleansing or replacement. By themethod of assembly of the. present invention it is only it get out of order. The various parts of the reservoir-valve handle-coversub-assemblies need not be disturbed.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 6 thetube I25;

which houses the central shaft forms the sole securing means for securing the reservoir-valvesub-assembly to the handle-cover shell sub-asto remove the control dial I28; the bolt PM and nut I23 to disassemble the parts.

The cover-shell handle As shown in, the drawings, the cover plate 25,

The control;

11 dial I28 act to hide the securing means between the reservoir-valve sub-assembly and the handlecover shell sub-assembly as well as the securing means between the sole plate sub-assembly and the reservoir-valve handle-cover shell sub-assemblies.

Operation In each modification, if the iron is to be used as a dry iron, the valve actuator 88 is moved from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, until the opening 94 moves away from the detents 83 whereby the spring 92 will snap th valve stem 86 downwardly and seat its lower end 85 in the valve seat and close off communication between the interior of the reservoir and the inlet opening to the flash boiler IS. The control dial may then be moved to the proper setting and the iron used in the usual manner of using a dry iron.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 6, if the reservoir 60 is empty and it is desired to use the iron as a steam iron, the iron is turned backwardly so as to rest on the extension II9 of the handle and the rear end I08 of the cover shell. Water is then poured into the opening in the extension I8 of the fill tube whereby it will pass through the tube I5 and slit "I9 and 88 into the interior of the reservoir 88. When the level of water in the reservoir 68 reaches the level of slits I9 and 88 no more water can enter the reservoir proper. An air pocket is formed in the upper end of the reservoir 68 and any water which may be in the extension II of the fill tube will flow by gravity into the reservoir when the iron is returned to horizontal position.

It has been found that for steam ironing the control dial should be set at the same position regardless of the fabric which is being ironed and that the setting should be toward the upper end of the temperature range.

In the modification of Figs. 1 to 6 the control dial I28 is moved to the proper position, the valve actuator 88 moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 to open the valve 85 and the iron returned to its ironing position. Water will drop into the recess I6 of the sole plate I8, which is in direct heat exchange relationship with the heating element II, and be vaporized into steam. The steam and any uncvaporated water will flow backwardly through the openings I8 into the superheating recess I9 where the unevaporated water will be trapped by the baflics 28. The steam will flow backwardly through the passage 22 to the ends of the legs 23 where the steam will flow upwardly into the passage 28 in the cover plate 25. No water except that entrained in the steam can pass the ends 23, and thus all the water must be evaporated in the sole plate proper. The steam from the passage 28 will flow into passages 28 and 38 which are directly over the heating element II, where it is superheated. It will then pass through the sole plate to the fabric being ironed by way of the steam emitting openings 8 I.

The reservoir 88 is shielded from the heat of the heating element I I by the cover plate 25 since the temperature of that plate cannot rise materially above that of the steam passing beneath it. The only direct heat conducting path between the sole plate I8 and the reservoir 68 is by way of the nut 8I which may be made of any suitable non-heat conducting material such as stainless steel.

When the iron is used as a dry iron the cover shell I88 is protected from the heat of the sole plate by the entire air space in the reservoir 88 12 if it is empty and by the water therein if it tains water.

When it is desired to fill the reservoir of the modification of Figs. 7 and 8, the iron is upended to rest on the projection II9 of the handle and the rear end I08 of the cover shell with the opening of extension I'I'I facing upwardly as shown in Fig. 8. Water is poured into the opening I11 and flows through the opening I18 into the interior of the reservoir 60' until the water reaches a level indicated by the dot-dash line A-A of Fig. 8. After the water reaches the level of the upper edge of the opening I18 the air in the upper end of the reservoir will be vented through openings I15 and I78 and permit the water to rise to the level of the line A-A.

It is to be noted from Fig. 8 that the level A-A is above the opening I83 in the valve body I89 and the better practice is to close the valve 85 during the filling operation. However, it has been found that very little water will flow through the opening I83 even though the valve is left open. The static pressure head of water over the opening I83 is very small. As a consequence, the capillary attraction of the walls of the opening I83 and the walls of the opening in the extension I84 will prevent the water from flowing into the boiler I8 unless the iron is shaken.

After the reservoir 60' is filled, as above described, the valve 84 is opened and the iron returned to its horizontal position. The water in the fill tube I'I3 will flow by gravity into the reservoir 88' because of the space left above the level A-A when the reservoir is filled. The iron is then used as a steam iron in the same manner as in the first modification.

From the foregoing it can be seen that this invention provides an electrically heated iron which is readily convertible for use as a steam iron or as a dry iron, having few moving parts, and which can be preassembled into three main sub-assemblies which may be assembled and disassembled individually without disturbing the other sub-assemblies.

While I have shown and described but two modifications of my invention it is to be understood that those modifications are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equilavent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrically heated steam iron having a sole plate sub-assembly, a reservoir-valve subassembly and a handle-cover shell sub-assembly; said sole plate sub-assembly comprising, a sole plate proper, a heating element thereon, said sole plate being formed with a boiler recess near its toe and with ducts for conducting steam to its bottom surface, a cover plate for said recess, an inlet opening in said cover plate above said recess, an anchor stud extending upwardly, from said sole plate to the rear of said recess, a thermostatic switch mounted on said sole plate to the rear of said stud and having a control shaft extending upwardly therefrom and a cover shell support extending upwardly from the rear of said sole plate; said reservoir-valve sub-assembly comprising, a horizontally elongated reservoir, a tube extending upwardly therethrough for receiving said control shaft, a second tube extending upwardly through said reservoir above said anchor stud, a valve body secured to said reservoir above the inlet opening of said cover plate with its con- lower face formed to mate with said inlet opening, a fill tube secured to and extending upwardly from said reservoir above said valve body and having a forward extension formed with a forwardly facing fill opening, a valve stem extending upwardly from said valve body through said fill opening and a valve actuator mounted on top of said fill tube and operatively connected to the upper end of said valve stem; said handle-cover shell sub-assembly comprising, a cover shell enclosing said reservoir, said cover shell having an opening in its top above said control shaft and a second opening above said anchor stud and a front opening for receiving said fill tube, and a handle secured to said cover shell, said handle having spaced front and rear legs, said front leg being hollow to receive said fill tube and having a front opening for receiving said forward extension and a top opening through which said valve actuator extends; means extending upwardly from said control shaft through said control shaft receiving tube and through the aligned opening in said cover shell for adjusting said thermostatic switch and means extending through the second opening in said cover shell and the second tube of said reservoir and engaging said anchor stud to clamp said handle-cover shell sub-assembly and said reservoir-valve sub-assemblyto said sole plate sub-assembly with the lower end of said valve body engaging said inlet opening and the rear of said cover shell resting on said cover shell support.

2. In an electrically heated steam iron having a sole plate sub-assembly, a reservoir-valve subassembly and a handle-cover shell sub-assembly; said sole plate sub-assembly comprising, a sole plate proper, a heater therefor, said sole plate being formed with a boiler recess in its upper face near the toe thereof, a cover plate for said recess having an inlet opening leading to said recess, said sole plate and cover plate being formed with steam passages extending from said recess to openings extending through the bottom face of said sole plate, a thermostatic switch secured to the said sole plate having an adjusting shaft extending upwardly therefrom, anchoring means on said sole plate between said shaft and inlet opening and a cover shell support fixed to and extending upwardly from said sole plate to the rear of said switch; said reservoir-valve subassembly comprising, a horizontally elongated reservoir, a tube extending upwardly therethrough for receiving said shaft, a second tube extending upwardly through said reservoir above said anchoring means, a valve body secured to the bottom wall of said reservoir above the inlet opening of the cover plate and affording communication between the interior of said reservoir and said opening, the bottom face of said valve and communicating with the interior of said reservoir, said fill tube having a forward extension formed with a forwardly facing fill opening, a valve stem extending upwardly from said valve body through an opening in the top of said fill tube and a valve actuator mounted on top of said fill tube and operatively connected to said valve stem, said actuator being selectively operable to open and close the opening in said valve body; said handle-cover sub-assembly comprising, a cover shell enclosing said reservoir and formed to react downwardly against said reservoir when the iron is assembled, said cover shell being formed with openings above said shaft and anchoring means'and with an opening for said fill tube and a handle secured to said cover shell, said handle having spaced front and rear legs, said front leg being hollow to receive said fill tube, having its front wall cut away to receive said forward extension and having a top opening through which said valve actuator extends; means extending upwardly from said control shaft through the aligned opening in said cover shell for adjusting the temperature setting on said switch and means extending through the second opening in said cover shell and the second tube of said reservoir and engaging said anchoring means to clamp said handle-cover shell subassembly and said reservoir-valve sub-assembly to said sole plate sub-assembly with the lower face of said valve body engaging the opening in said cover plate and the rear of said cover shell resting on said cover shell support.

3. A reservoir-valve sub-assembly for a steam iron comprising; a horizontally elongated reservoir; said reservoir being formed of upper and lower duplicate dished stampings with their dished sides facing each other and being secured together at their peripheral edges with the bottoms of said stampings forming the top and bottom walls of said reservoir; three longitudinally spaced openings formed in the top and bottom walls of said reservoir; rear and middle open ended tubes extending through said reservoir and through the openings in the top and bottom walls thereof and being sealed to said stampings about the periphery of said openings; said rear tube forming ahousing for a control shaft; and said middle tube forming a passageway for an anchoring bolt; a valve body secured in the front opening of the lower half of said reservoir; a fill tube secured in the front opening of the upper half of said reservoir directly above said valve body; said fill tube extending upwardly from said reservoir and having a forward extension formed with a forwardly facing fill opening; said valve body extending below said reservoir and having its lower end shaped to form a pressure joint with a water inlet opening in a sole plate and being formed interiorly with a valve seat; a valve stem extending downwardly through an opening in the top wall of saidfill tube and having a valve on its lower end coacting with said valve seat and a valve actuator mounted on the top of said fill tube; said valve actuator being selectively operable to move said valve to its open or closed position,

4. In an electrically heated steam iron having a sole plate assembly, a reservoir-valve assembly and a handle-cover shell assembly; said sole plate assembly comprising, a sole plate proper, a heating element thereon, said sole plate being formed with a boiler recess near its toe and with ducts for conducting steam to its bottom surface, a cover plate for said recess, an inlet opening in said cover plate above said recess, an anchor stud extending upwardly from said sole plate to the rear of said recess, a thermostatic switch mounted on said sole plate to the rear of said stud and having a control shaft extending upwardly thereform and a cover shell support extending upwardly from the rear of said sole plate; saidreservoir-valve assembly comprising, a horiz'ontally'elongated reservoir, a tube extending upwardly therethrough for receiving said'control shaft, a second'tube extending upwardly through 17 mg a spring disc surrounding said tub and clamped beneath said nut, a plurality of spring fingers upwardly and inwardly from the edges of said disc and a control dial rotatably mounted on said spring fingers and having drive means extending downwardly into said tube.

15. An assembly according to claim. 14 in which a second open ended vertically extending tube is sealed to the top and bottom walls of said reservoir forwardly of said first tube for receiving a bolt for clamping said assembly to a sole plate, said control dial overlying said second tube.

16. An assembly according to claim 13 including an open ended tube extending upwardly through said reservoir adjacent its front end and sealed to the top and bottom walls thereof, a fill tubes-valve assembly having a tubular portion extending through said upwardly extending tube and communicating with the interior of said reservoir, said tubular portion having a threaded lower end extending below the bottom wall of said reservoir, an interiorly threaded member threaded to the lower end of said tubular portion for clamping said fill tube-valve assembly to said reservoir, the lower end of said member being shaped to form one part of a joint complemental to an inlet opening in a sole plate and a valve seat formed interiorly of said member.

17. A fill tube-valve assembly for a steam iron comprising, a tubular portion for extending vertically through a water reservoir and having a slit extending through its rear wall for communication with the interior of the reservoir, a

flange at the upper end of said tubular pontion for engagement with the top wall of the reservoir, the lower end of said tubular portion being exteriorly threaded, an interiorly threaded valve member threaded to the threaded end of said tubular portion and engageable with the bottom wall of the reservoir and cooperating with said flange to clamp said assembly to the reservoir, the lower end of said valve member being shaped. to form one part of a joint complemental to an inlet opening in a sole plate and a valve seat formed interiorly of said valve member.

18. An assembly according to claim 17 including an extension extending upwardly from said flange, said extension having a top wall and be ing formed with a front fill opening, a valve element extending downwardly through an opening in said top wall and having its lower end shaped to seat on said valve seat and a valve actuator supported on said top wall and operatively connected to said valve element to move it to its open or closed position. V 19. In an electrically heated steam iron having a sole plate assembly, a reservoir-valve assembly and a handle-cover shell assembly; said sole plate assembly comprising, a sole plate proper having a heating element embedded therein, said sole plate being formed with a boiler recess and steam superheating recesses in its upper surface in heat exchange relationship with said heating element and with steam emitting openings extending therethrough to its bottom surface, a cover plate secured to the top of said sole plate and overlying said recesses and openings, the under surface of said cover plate being recessed to form steam conducting passages in communication with the superheating recesses and steam emitting openings of said sole plate, said'cover plate being formed with an inlet opening extending therethrough above the boiler recess of said sole' plate, a thermostatic switch 18 mounted on saidsole plate in heat exchange relationship thereto and having a control shaft extending upwardly therefrom, terminal conductors mounted on said sole plate connecting said heating element and said switch in series circuit with terminals extending rearwardly from said sole plate, cover shell supporting means extending upwardly from the rear of said sole plate and an anchor stud having a threaded opening extending upwardly from said sole plate between said inlet opening and said supporting means; said reservoir-valve assembly comprising, a horizontally elongated reservoir formed of duplicate stampings secured together on a longitudinally extending peripheral seam so as to form top and bottom'walls, three longitudinally spaced vertically extending open ended tubes sealed to the top and bottom walls of said reservoir, the rearmost of said tubes being positioned to receive the control shaft of said switch, the central of said tubes being positioned to lie above the anchor stud on said sole plate, the foremost of said tubes being positioned to lie above the inlet opening in said cover plate, a fill tube extending through the foremost of said tubes and clamped to said reservoir, said fill tube having an extension extending above said reservoir with a forwardly facing fill opening therein, a valve stem extending downwardly through an, opening in the top of said extension, through said fill tube and terminating at its lower end in a valve proper, a valve seat formed interiorly in the bottom of said fill tube in line with said valve, a valve actuator mounted on top of said extension and connected to the upper end of said valve stem, the bottom of said fill tube being formed with a fitting complementary to the inlet opening in said cover plate, said foremost tube and said fill tube being formed with openings in their rear walls communicating with the interior of said reservoir; said handle-cover shell assembly comprising, a handle having front and rear shell tosaid handle; attaching means extending upwardly from the rearmost of said vertical tubes for securing said reservoir-valve assembly to said aeesgsve for rotatably securing a control dial to said cover shell between said front and rear legs and means extending downwardly into the rearmost of said' vertical tubes and drivingly connecting said control dial to the control shaft of said switch; said cord extending downwardly through the rear opening in said cover shell into its extension and being electrically'connected to thetermi'nals extending rearwardly from the sole plate.

20; A reservoir-valve assembly for a steam iron comprising; a horizontally elongated reservoir; said reservoir being formed of upper and lower duplicate dished stampingswith their dishedsides facing each other and being secured together at their peripheral edges with the bottoms of said stampingsforming the top and bottom walls ofsaidreservoir; three longitudinally spaced opening's formed in the top and bottom walls of said reservoir; rear, middle and front open ended tubes extending through said reservoir and through the openings in the top and bottom wallsthereof and being sealed to said stampings about the periphery of said openings; said rear tubeforming a housing for a control shaft; and said middle tube forming a passageway for an anchoring bolt; a fill tube-valve assembly having a casing extending through sai'dfront tube; said casing having a threaded end extending below said bottomwall; an interiorly threaded member threaded to the threaded lower end of said casing and clamping said fill tube-valve assembly to said reservoir; the lowerend of said threaded member being shaped to interfit with a water inlet opening in a sole plate; and the bore of said member being provided with a valve seat; said fill tube-valve assembly having an extension extending above said reservoir; the front wall of said extension being formed with a forwardly facing fill opening; a valve stem extending downwardly through an opening in the top wall of said extension having a valve on its lower end coacting with said valve seat and a valve actuator mounted on the top of said extension; said valve actuator being selectively operable to move said valve to its open or closed position.

21. A reservoir-valve sub-assembly for a steam iron comprising; a horizontally elongated reservoir; said reservoir being formed of upper and lower duplicate dished stampings with their dished sides facing each other and being secured together at their peripheral edges with the bottoms of said stampingsforming the top and bottom walls of said reservoir; three pairs of longitudinally spaced openings formed in the top and bottom walls of said reservoir; open ended tubes extending vertically through said reservoir and through the rear and middle pairs orsaid openi r lgs and being sealed to the top and bottom walls of said reservoir about said pairs of openings; a valve body secured to the bottom wall of said reservoir in the front bottom opening; a fill tube secured to the top wall of said reservoir in the front top opening and having an opening in its lower end communicating with the interior of said reservoir; said fill tube extending upwardly from said reservoir and having a forwardly facing fill opening formed therein in communication with the opening in the lower end thereof; the lower end of said valve body extending below said reservoir and being shaped to form a pressure joint with a water inlet opening in the top of a sole plate; a vertically extending bore formed in said valve body, communicating at its upper end with the interior of said reservoir and extending through the lower end of said body; a valve seat formed in said bore below its upper iii) end"; a' valvestem extendingdownwardly'through an opening in the top of said fill tube' and' havin a" valve on its lower end cooperating with: saint valve seat';'a valve actuator mounted on the -top of said fill tube,- being connected to the upper: end of said valve stem and being selectively op.- erable to move said valve to its? open or" closed positions and bafilemeans extending downwardly from the top wall of said reservoir to the. rear of the opening in the lower end of' said fill tube. 22; A sole platesub-a'ssembly fora steam iron" comprising, a sole plate proper, a U'-shaped heat.- ing element embedded in said sole plate having its bight' adjacent thetoe of said sole plate and its legs extending b'ackwa'rdly along the sides thereof, a boiler'recess -formed inthe uppersurface of said sol plate, steam emitting. openings formed in said sole plate and extending throughthe undersurface thereof, a cover plate remov ably secured t'o said sole plate andcovering said boiler recess, passages formed in said sole plate and said cover plate and forming a steam flow path between said boiler recess and said steam emitting openings, awater inlet opening. formed in said cover plate above said boiler recess. an anchor stud extending upwardly from said sole plate tothe rear of said: boiler recess", a thermostatic switchsecured to the top of said sole plate to the rear of said anchor stud and passages, terminal conductors connecting said heating element and switch in series circuit, a bracket secured to the rear edge of said. sole plate, insulating blocks positioned above and. below said terminal conductors, means for clamping said insulating blocks to said bracket, laterally spaced cover shell supports extending upwardly and rearwardly from said bracket and an integral lug extending rearwardly from. said bracket and forming means for supporting a closure plate.

23. In a sole plate sub-assembly according. to claim 22 including lugs extending forwardly from said bracket and forming a support for the rear end of a water reservoir.

24. In a sole plate subassembl'y according to claim 22 including a cover shell locating. pin in the forward end of said sole plate rel-wards or said cover plate.

25. In a steam iron, a sole plate, a heater on said sole plate, a boiler formed in said sole plate adjacentthe front end thereof in heat exchange relationship with said: heater, an inlet opening in said sole plate above said boiler, cover shell supporting means on said sole plate adjacent the rear end thereof, anchor means on said sole plate between said i'nlet opening and said cover shell supporting means, a water reservoir above said sole plate, a conduit in communication with said reservoir and extending downwardly therefrom above said inlet opening, the lower end of said conduit and said inlet opening being shaped to form a pressure contact joint between them, a cover shell enclosing and overlying said reservoir so as to exert a downward pressure thereonand means extending downwardly through said cover shell and reservoir and being anchored to said anchor means and. forming the sole means for clamping said reservoir and cover shell to said sole plate with the rear of said cover shell resting on said supporting means and with the lower end or said conduit in pressure contact withsa-id inlet opening.

JOHN E. VANCE.

No references cited. 

